Sport ball projecting method, machine, based on the flywheel for efficient training of athletes

ABSTRACT

This invention released a ball training machine for athletes. This machine is based on the principle of flywheel energy storage and flywheel ball batting. The flywheel is driven by the external rotor motor and rotates along the center shaft. The machine consists of the all parts include convey pipe, launching pipe, drop pipe and ball collection funnel to perform all the actions from ball collection to the ball launch. The push lever in the machine cooperates with the convex ramp and convex and coordinate the ball in position and ball batting. The damp ring in the machine will make the ball spin in any direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is related to a machine for the athlete ball training. The machine's working principle is based on a flywheel as a drive to launch the ball. The ball herein can be a volleyball, a table tennis ball, a tennis ball, a baseball and a soccer ball.

BACKGROUND

The ball training machines are mostly targeted for volleyball, table tennis and tennis training, based on the market research and granted patents search. Among these three ball training machines, volleyball machine is the most variety machine in terms of the principles applied in the machine. To describe each machine's pro and con, different volleyball machines will be analyzed. However, this invention's intention is not just focus on volleyball application. The principle of the invention can be used to other balls' application.

The existing volleyball training machines are actually not a practical training machine. They are more likely just a ball launching machine. The only function they have is to launch the ball. They can not simulate the second pass, nor to mimic the smasher. And, the machine is heavy and bulky so that they are not easy for carry, field installation and adjustment. A power cord is necessary. So except indoor gymnastics, this type of machine for the outdoor or beach application is almost impossible.

Based on the principle used in volleyball launch products, or just mentioned in patents, it can be classified into 6 categories. 1) A spring or a leaf spring is used to launch the ball by stretching or compressing the spring first and then suddenly releasing to hit the ball. 2) Suddenly releasing the compressed air to hit the ball. 3) Compressed air is suddenly released into a cylinder and then pushes the piston to hit the ball. 4) Hydraulic transmission pushes the piston then the piston hits the ball. 5) Cam driven by a motor pushes pushrod to hit the ball. 6) A motor starts to rotate and accelerates a pendulum. The other end of the pendulum hits the ball. 7) Ball goes through two (sometimes three) side by side high speed spin friction wheels and the ball is ejected from the wheels.

The disadvantages of 1) are: The spring or the leaf spring is a mass in physics. After the collision with a ball, the spring's kinetic energy is still in its high level. For it to return to its initial position, the spring has to reduce its speed to zero and move backward to its original position. In this process, most of the spring energy is wasted in the form of sound and heat. It is also concerned for the safety issue. The machine usually makes a big impact sound. So, this type of machine has very low efficiency and very noisy.

The disadvantages of 2-4) are: In the compressed air or hydraulic driven machine, air pump or hydraulic pump is needed, which brings high cost, weight and big size. The sudden release of the compressed air will generate big sound, which is not friendly for indoor use. For the hydraulic application, the piston movement is usually much slower than compressed air release or electric motor driven, unless a super-power pump is equipped. The piston can not get enough speed to launch the ball. If a big hydraulic pump is used, the machine's total weight and cost will be impractical.

The disadvantages of 5) and 6) are: To launch a ball, the motor starts to rotate to drive an actuating arm from its standstill position. Then the actuating arm hits the ball in less than one turn. In this process, because of the mass of the actuating arm plus the motor inertia, the acceleration to a certain speed in such a short time needs a very big power motor. In the same situation as in 1), after the hitting, the actuating arm and the motor will decelerate to zero and return to its initial position. During this process, the same disadvantage of 1-4) will show.

All above 1-6), they are same in common: all the hitting actions are fro movement. After the hitting, the moving parts' energy has to be released to zero and return to its initial position. In this process, most energy is wasted in the form of sound, heat, and losses.

The mechanism 7) is most commonly used in products. It is relatively safe and has less noise. The disadvantage of this method is that: the friction wheels keeps running all the time. The duty ratio (working time/idle time) is less than 5%. Therefore, the overall machine efficiency is very low. The duration the ball passes through the friction wheels is very short. To accelerate the ball to certain speed in such a short time needs two big power motors (Usually two 1 HP motors). In addition, the friction between the wheels and ball will easily damage the surface of the ball.

All methods 1-6 mentioned above either have no spin ball function or the spinning vector can not be controlled very well when the ball is launched out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the disadvantages, such as: too heavy (methods 2-4), too noisy (methods 1,2,3,5,6), low efficiency (all methods), not safe enough (methods 1,2,3,6), not effective (methods 3,4,5,6), no spin control(methods 1,2,3,5,6), the invented Ball Training Machine uses a Flywheel as the energy storage source and launch means.

As described above the Ball Training Machine, the so called Flywheel is driven by an External Rotor Motor. A Bat is mounted on the Flywheel's out circumference. When the Flywheel rotates to a pre-set speed, the Bat hits the ball and launches the ball. With this basic function, in addition, working with the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly, a complete athlete Ball Training Machine is accomplished.

As described above the Ball Training Machine, the so called Flywheel+the Bat are mounted on an External Rotor Motor to complete the Flywheel assembly. The External Rotor Motor's stator is standstill and mounted on the machine frame. The External Rotor Motor's shaft, which is the part of the stator, is the Flywheel Center Axis. The External Rotor Motor's rotor drives the Flywheel.

As described above the Ball Training Machine, the so called Flywheel assembly works with the Ball Feeder assembly which feeds the ball to the launching position where the ball will be hit by the Bat. The Ball Feeder assembler consists of the Launching Pipe, the Convey Pipe, the Drop Pipe and the Ball Collection Funnel. The Ball Feeder assembly is mounted on the Flywheel Center Axis and is rotary adjustable around it.

The Launching Pipe is the house of the launching position for the ball. Its axis direction is the ball's launch direction. The Launching Pipe's axis coincides with the Flywheel's normal line. The Launching Pipe is side connected to the Convey Pipe.

The Ball Collection Funnel is on the top of the Drop Pipe. Below the Drop Pipe is the Convey Pipe. The Convey Pipe only holds one ball at a time. When the Convey Pipe is occupied, no more balls will be allowed to drop from the Drop Pipe.

The Drop Pipe and the Convey Pipe have a rotary connection that the Ball Collection Funnel is always vertically up regardless the launching angle. Balls will drop down from the Ball Collection Funnel into the Convey Pipe automatically merely by the ball gravity.

Because the flywheel is a circle, the vertical launching angle is easily adjusted by rotating the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly around the Flywheel Center Axis. Up 90 degree to down 90 degree can be achieved.

Working together with the machine turntable chassis, the Flywheel assembly, the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly together can rotate on the chassis. That will perform the adjustment of the launching angle in the horizontal direction in 360 degree.

Therefore, with vertical and horizontal launching angle adjustment, this machine can cover 360 degree sphere.

To coordinate the Flywheel spin and the ball entry to the launching position, the Ball Pushing assembly is used. The Ball Pushing assembly consists of the Pushing Lever, the Lever Fulcrum, the Push-Pull Solenoid, the Rail Pulley Assembly and the Pushing Ring. The Rail Pulley Assembly consists of the Rail Pulley Frame and the Rail Pulley.

The Ball Pushing assembly will work with the Convex Ramp and the Convex on the Flywheel Side Edge to push the Pushing Lever. The Pushing Ring at another end of the Pushing Lever eventually pushes the ball from the Convey Pipe to the Launching Pipe where the launching position is. The Rail Pulley Assembly in the Ball Pushing assembly can be stretched or flinched by the Push-Pull Solenoid. When the Rail Pulley Assembly is stretched, the Ball Pushing assembly engages with the Flywheel Side Edge and the Pushing Lever is pushed out. When the Rail Pulley Assembly is flinched, the Ball Pushing assembly is detached from the Flywheel Side Edge and the Pushing Lever is steady.

The position of the Convex Ramp and the Convex on the Flywheel Side Edge is such arranged that pushing the ball to the launching position before ball being hit is mechanically insured.

The ball-spin function is achieved during the ball launch process. This is done by adding the Damp Ring at the Launching Pipe's exit end. In the inner side of the Damp Ring there is a soft protrusion, called Damping Convex. When the ball passes the Damping Convex, a damping to the ball happens in a certain angle and forces the ball to spin in this angle. This Damp Ring is 360 degree rotary adjustable, so, the ball spin vector can be 360 degree adjustable. The adjustment on the thickness of the Damping Convex will affect the spin intensity.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS INVENTION

The use of the Flywheel to do the energy store and ball batting effectively solves the disadvantages of the existing patents and present products, such as loud sound, bulky size, heavy weight, low efficiency, high cost and lack of safety. Taking the advantage of the flywheel structure, the synchronization between the ball entry into the launching position and the ball batting by the flywheel is properly achieved. The effectiveness of every ball launch and the reliable operation is guaranteed by the invented structure. The ball collection, ball automatic feeding and ball spin functions are all effectively achieved. The launching angle, horizontal and vertical, can be automatically controlled during the operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the overall machine principle structure.

FIG. 2 shows the Flywheel, the Convey Pipe, the Launching Pipe, the Drop Pipe and the Ball Collection Funnel. As shown in this picture, the ball is in its launching position.

FIG. 3 shows the Ball Pushing assembly working with the Convex of the Flywheel Side Edge. In this figure, the Ball Pushing assembly is detached from the Flywheel Side Edge.

FIG. 4 shows the Ball Pushing assembly working with the Convex of the Flywheel Side Edge. In this figure, the Ball Pushing assembly is engaged with the Flywheel Side Edge.

FIG. 5 shows the detail of the Flywheel Side Edge.

FIG. 6 zooms in the detachment between the Rail Pulley Assembly and the Flywheel Side Edge.

FIG. 7 zooms in the engagement between the Rail Pulley Assembly and the Flywheel Side Edge.

FIG. 8 shows the rotary coordination among the Convey Pipe, the Launching Pipe and the Drop Pipe when the launching angle is not horizontal. Note: the Drop Pipe is always vertically up, irrelative to the launching angle, which helps ball collection and ball dropping-in.

FIG. 9 shows the Damp Ring which will make the ball spin.

In the Figures:

1. Flywheel;

2. External Rotor Motor;

3. Flywheel Center Axis (shaft);

4. Bat;

5. Ball in Launching Position;

6. Convey Pipe;

7. Launching Pipe;

8. Drop Pipe;

9. Ball Collection Funnel;

10. Pushing Lever;

11. Lever Fulcrum;

12. Rail Pulley Assembly;

13. Pushing Ring;

14. Convex Ramp;

15. Convex;

16. Push-Pull Solenoid;

17. Rail Pulley Frame;

18. Rail Pulley;

19. Flywheel Side Edge;

20. Damp Ring;

21. Damping Convex.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Following is the detail machine implementation associated with the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the Flywheel 1 and the External Rotor Motor 2 are assembled as one unit. The Flywheel 1 is connected to the external rotor of the motor. The shaft of the motor, the part of the stator, is the Flywheel Center Axis 3 that will be mounted on the machine frame. The machine frame will be mounted on the machine chassis. The Bat 4 is mounted on the out circumference of the Flywheel 1. The Flywheel assembly consists of the Flywheel 1, the External Rotor Motor 2 and the Bat 4. The Flywheel Center Axis 3 supports the Flywheel assembly and it will not rotate.

The Ball Feeder assembly is assembled with the Convey Pipe 6, the Launching Pipe 7, the Drop Pipe 8 and the Ball Collection Funnel 9 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The Drop Pipe 8 is connected to the Convey Pipe 6 in such a way that it can rotate on the Convey Pipe 6 and always keep itself vertically up regardless the launching angle. See FIGS. 8 and 2. The whole Ball Feeder assembly will be mounted on the Flywheel Center Axis 3 and rotary adjustable around the Flywheel Center Axis 3 to adjust the vertical launching angle.

The Ball Pushing assembly consists of the Pushing Lever 10, the Lever Fulcrum 11, the Push-Pull Solenoid 16, the Rail Pulley Assembly 12 and the Pushing Ring 13, as shown in FIG. 1, 3, 4. The Rail Pulley Assembly 12 consists of the Rail Pulley Frame 17 and the Rail Pulley 18, as shown in FIG. 3,4,6,7. The Ball Pushing assembly will be mounted on the Flywheel Center Axis 3 and is rotatable with the Ball Feeder assembly around the Flywheel Center Axis 3, shown in FIG. 1.

Put the Flywheel assembly, the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly together, the basic functional machine is created in FIG. 1.

When the External Rotor Motor 2 is powered on, its shaft, the Flywheel Center Axis 3, will not spin. Instead, its external rotor will drive the Flywheel 1 to rotate counter-clockwise. When the Flywheel 1 gets its pre-set speed, the motor will keep the speed. The pre-set speed is determined by the required ball launching speed.

In this condition, the motor and the whole machine's losses is almost zero, except some friction losses. At this time the machine is ready to launch. The Bat 4 passes the launching position located in the Launching Pipe 7 in every turn. The launching position is the location where the Ball in Launching Position 5 sits, shown in FIG. 1, 2. However, in most times, there is no ball in the launching seat. So, the Flywheel 1 is just free spinning without any ball batting and energy loss. When a launching signal is asserted, a position sensor senses the Bat 4 position. As soon as after the Bat 4 passes the launching position, a ball is pushed to the launching position automatically by the Ball Feeder assembly. In the next cycle the Bat 4 passes this position, the ball is hit and launched. Then the ball leaves the machine and the Flywheel 1 slows down. Part of the flywheel's energy has just been transferred to the ball. After the launch, the motor will speed up the Flywheel 1 to its pre-set speed again and the flywheel energy is supplemented. The machine is ready for the next launch.

During this process, the energy transfer happens only when the Bat 4 hits the ball. After the batting, the Flywheel 1 is still spinning in a lower speed. Its remaining energy is not wasted. In the moment of the ball hitting, only the collision sound is audible with no other noise. The Flywheel 1 energy reduction during the collision will be supplemented by the motor after the collision. The supplemented energy is about fractional of the total stored energy and can be charged up slowly. Therefore, a 10-20 W motor is sufficient.

The ball feeding function mentioned above is performed by the Ball Feeder assembly. In FIG. 1, the Push Lever 10 is mounted on the Flywheel Center Axis 3 through the Lever Fulcrum 11. The Push Lever 10 will not spin with the Flywheel 1. But it, together with the Convey Pipe 6, Launching Pipe 7, Drop Pipe 8, Ball Collection Funnel 9 and Lever Fulcrum 11, can be angle adjusted around the Flywheel Center Axis 3.

The Rail Pulley Frame 17 and the Rail Pulley 18 on the Rail Pulley Assembly 12 can be driven by the Push-Pull Solenoid 16 and be either stretched or flinched from the end of the Pushing Lever 10. When it is stretched, the Rail Pulley Frame 17 and the Rail Pulley 18 engage and work with the Convex Ramp 14 and the Convex 15 to push the Push Lever 10 out. The Pushing Ring 13 on another end of the Pushing Lever 10 will push the ball into the Launching Pipe 7, as shown in FIG. 4, 7. When it is flinched, the Rail Pulley Frame 17 and the Rail Pulley 18 are separated from the Flywheel Side Edge 19 and the Push Lever 10 will return to its original position and keep steady, as shown in FIG. 3, 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the Convex Ramp 14 and the Convex 15 form a convex plate. This plate's relative location to the Bat 4 on the Flywheel Side Edge 19 determines the action timing between the ball reaching the launch position and the Bat 4 hitting the ball. Such structure guarantees the ball will be pushed into the launching position before the Bat 4 meets the ball.

To be in detail, when a launching signal is asserted, a position sensor senses the Bat 4 position. As soon as after the Bat 4 passes the launching position, the Push-Pull Solenoid 16 will stretch the Rail Pulley Assembly 12. The Rail Pulley Assembly 12 will work with the Flywheel Side Edge 19 and push the Pushing Level 10. In sequence, a ball is pushed to the launching position automatically before the Bat 4 reaches the launching position again. In the next cycle the Bat 4 passes the launching position, the ball is bat and launched. After the batting of the ball, the Push-Pull Solenoid 16 will withdraw the Rail Pulley Assembly 12 and the Ball Pushing assembly is ready for the next ball pushing action.

Balls are collected in the Ball Collection Funnel 9. As shown in FIG. 8, during the vertical launching angle adjustment, the axis angle of the Launching Pipe 7, refer to the horizontal direction, will be changed. However, because the Convey Pipe 6 is a round pipe, the rotary connection between the Drop Pipe 8 and the Convey Pipe 6 can be adjusted along the vertical launching angle adjustment. See FIG. 8. So the Ball Collection Funnel 9 can be always vertically up. In this configuration, it is guaranteed that the ball collected in the Ball Collection Funnel 9 can easily go thorough the Drop Pipe 8 and finally reaches to the Convey Pipe 6 in any vertical launching angle. When the ball drops into the Convey Pipe 6, the ball will stay there if there is no push from the Push Lever 10. At anytime, no more than one ball will stay in the Convey Pipe 6.

As shown in FIG. 9, at the exit end of the Launching Pipe 7 there is the Damp Ring 20. When the ball passes the Damp Ring 20, the Damping Convex 21 will damp the movement of the ball in a certain angle and cause the ball to spin. The Damp Ring 20 can be rotated 360 degrees on the Launching Pipe 7. The rotary mounting coordination between the Damp Ring 20 and the Launching Pipe 7 makes the ball spin vector adjustable in 360 degree range.

The Flywheel assembly, the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly, as shown in FIG. 1, together are mounted on the machine frame through the Flywheel Center Axis 3 which is supported by the machine chassis. The machine chassis is a rotatable turntable which is driven by a motor (not shown). The horizontal launching angle changes when the chassis rotates.

Because the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly are mounted on the Flywheel Center Axis 3 and rotatable, so the vertical launching angle can be adjusted. This rotation is motor driven.

Both the horizontal and vertical launching angles can be adjusted automatically through two motors.

While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A Sport Ball Training Machine comprising the Flywheel assembly, the Ball Feeder assembly and the Ball Pushing assembly.
 2. The Flywheel assembly of claim 1 further comprising the Flywheel, the External Rotor Motor and the Bat; where the shaft of the External Rotor Motor is the Flywheel Center Axis of the machine and standstill; the rotor of the External Rotor Motor drives the Flywheel and the Bat.
 3. The Ball Feeder assembly of claim 1 further comprising the Convey Pipe, the Launching Pipe, the Drop Pipe and the Ball Collection Funnel; where the Ball Collection Funnel is connected on the top of the Drop Pipe; the Convey Pipe is connected to the side of the Launching Pipe; the Drop Pipe is mounted on the top of the Convey Pipe.
 4. The Drop Pipe of claim 3, where the Drop Pipe and the Convey Pipe have a rotary connection that the Ball collection Funnel is always vertically up regardless the vertical launching angle; balls will drop down from the Ball Collection Funnel into the Convey Pipe automatically merely by the ball gravity.
 5. The Convey Pipe of claim 3, where the Convey Pipe holds no more than one ball at a time.
 6. The Launching Pipe of claim 3, where the Launching Pipe is the house of the launching position for the ball; its axis direction is the ball's launch direction; the Launching Pipe's axis coincides with the Flywheel's normal line.
 7. The Ball Pushing assembly of claim 1 further comprising the Pushing Lever, the Lever Fulcrum, the Push-Pull Solenoid, the Pushing Ring and the Rail Pulley Assembly.
 8. The Rail Pulley Assembly of claim 7 further comprising the Rail Pulley Frame and the Rail Pulley; where the Rail Pulley Assembly will work with the Convex Ramp and the Convex on the Flywheel Side Edge to push the Pushing Lever; the Pushing Ring at another end of the Pushing Lever eventually pushes the ball from the Convey Pipe into the Launching Pipe.
 9. The Rail Pulley Assembly of the claim 7, where the Rail Pulley Assembly can be stretched or flinched by the Push-Pull Solenoid; when the Rail Pulley Assembly is stretched, the Ball Pushing assembly engages with the Flywheel Side Edge and the Pushing Lever is pushed out; when the Rail Pulley Assembly is flinched, the Ball Pushing assembly is detached from the Flywheel Side Edge and the Pushing Lever is steady.
 10. The Flywheel Side Edge of the claim 8 further comprising the Convex Ramp and the Convex; the position of the Convex Ramp and the Convex on the Flywheel Side Edge is such arranged that pushing the ball to the launching position before hitting the ball is mechanically insured.
 11. The Launching Pipe of claim 3 further comprising the Damp Ring and the Damping Convex, where the Damp Ring is rotary mounted at the exit of the Launching Pipe and 360 degree rotary adjustable; the Damping Convex will damp the ball when it passes the Launching Pipe; the adjustment on thickness of the Damping Convex will affect the spin intensity. 